I love getting to share people's stories because I feel like when we hear others that are going through similar things, it helps us feel less alone on our journey. I also know first hand that many neurodiverse women have struggled for a long time with being undiagnosed and unheard. So today I wanted to share Shannon's story with you as she talks with me about learning how to navigate this world as a later in life diagnosed neurodiverse woman and how she has learned to be her best advocate. Shannon wants to remind us all that YOU are the world's foremost expert in the study of You.

Shannon MacFarlane works as a photographer, artist, and dog trainer in Tacoma, WA. She has spent 2023 learning kung fu, eating lots of cookies without regrets, and taking care of her nervous system. Shannon is a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHDer with a pathological demand avoidance upgrade who is relieved to finally understand why the world seems so different!

Connect with Shannon:
Website - https://www.slobberedlens.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/slobberedlens
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/slobberedlens/

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

Just a huge warning here - I am laying out some parts of my journey I don't often share so it may be a bit much for some.

Hey hey mama! I found an amazing podcast a while back called My Invisible Disease and I reached out to the hosts, Jenny and Kassy, and shared with them how much it meant to me what they were sharing. As someone who lives with an "invisible disease" it is so hard sometimes because the outside world just does not understand certain pieces of your life.

Well these amazing ladies actually invited me on the show to share my story! So today I am sharing my interview from their show. I hope you love it and remember I do get a little graphic with it at times as Crohn's is not a pretty thing.

Want to hear more from Jenny and Kassy? Check out their other episodes here! https://open.spotify.com/show/6s6GfKsYddcAFZbFS5495c

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

Hey hey mama! Join me today as I talk with Stefanie on guilt, boundaries, and co-regulation.

Stefanie Fernandes is a conscious parenting coach and therapist. Her approach is parent-centric and gentle. Stefanie helps moms gain control over their parenting with tools that support communication and get their kids to finally listen!

Get Stefanie's free guide to getting your child to listen - https://freeguide.stefaniefernandes.com/get-your-child-to-listen

You can connect with Stefanie @
Her website - https://stefaniefernandes.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/stefanie.p.fernandes/

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

Hey hey mama! When I connected with Laura, her story blew me away.  Raising 10 children, raising 3 children with FASD, and adding 6 of those children to the family over the course of only 4 years! Any one of those is an amazing feat but all three?! Laura saw that the typical routines and family organization ideas didn't fit with a family like hers, so she dug in, put in the work, and created one that did! Now she helps other moms who need a different approach to calming their chaos at home.

Laura is a wife and mama to 10 amazing people. She is the founder of Mama Systems, a coaching business that helps mamas bring peace to their homes through systems so they can be intentional with their people and show up as the best mama possible.

Laura also has another episode on the podcast coming out soon where she talks about what FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) really looks like and how it impacts a family.

Here is the free chore chart Laura is sharing with everyone https://www.mamasystems.net/Helping-moms-calm-the-chaos

You can find more about Laura @
Her Website - https://www.mamasystems.net/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mamasystems

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

Hey hey mama and welcome to Calming the Chaos with Sarah! A big part of this podcast for me is connecting you with mamas who have a story that inspires you and gives you hope. And that is what Alyse's story is: an inspiration.  Alyse kept pushing when she knew her daughter needed extra support despite so many not listening to her. And she kept pushing until she found someone who did listen! Join us today as she shares her journey of learning to be relentless as a parent of a child with special needs.

Alyse Johnson-Chilla is a mom, wife, full-time teacher,  part-time student and entrepreneur. She has two young kids aged 6 and 3. Her oldest had a complicated third trimester of pregnancy and was born premature. As a result, they have faced developmental delays their entire life. It took more than 18 months of relentless advocacy and repeated evaluations before her oldest received the services she needed. As a result, her 6 year old had an IEP at 3 years old and entered kindergarten with supports in place for a successful transition. When she is not advocating for her children, Alyse is a full time high school biology teacher, pursuing a Master's in Biological Sciences, and runs her own business writing curriculum to support science teachers: Keystone Science. In what little free time she has, Alyse enjoys doing anything outdoors: running, gardening, hiking, swimming, and dining al fresco.

Here are the links for the listening and viewing guides Alyse created for her business Keystone Science.

Listening Guide: https://keystonesciencepa.ck.page/93166fdc53?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=calmingchaospodoct2023

Viewing Guide: https://keystonesciencepa.ck.page/64e80afd77?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=calmingchaospodoct2023

You can also check out Alyse's other links here:
https://smart.bio/keystone_science/

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

Hey hey mama! I recently had the opportunity to be interviewed on a good friend's podcast. Joann Camacho or Josie as I call her has an amazing podcast for moms called Moms Need Moms. Listen in as we talk all about understanding the season you are in, finding a supportive community, and how to calm the chaos in your life.

You can find more  Moms Need Moms episodes @ https://momsneedmoms.buzzsprout.com/1983499

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

So often I hear moms say that life has gotten so busy, they don't even remember what they enjoyed doing when they used to have free time. We let life take over and forget how to find the joy. If you know what I am talking about, then this episode is for you! Caroline Busick started Make It Joy to help women live their life with joy and today she is sharing with us all about how to find the joy again!

Caroline believes you are who you are and how you are for a reason, and you are made to matter. Her job is to believe the best in you, believe the best for you, and help you find your purpose and passion. She is a wife and mother of two small and energetic children and a certified Life and Spiritual Coach.  Caroline has her Master's in Fine Arts and is a certified yoga and pilates instructor.
 
Connect with Caroline
Make It Joy podcast @ https://makeitjoy.alitu.com/1?order=newest
Her Website @ https://makeitjoy.com/
Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/makeitjoycoaching/

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos

I know normally my focus is on making  mom life easier or offering support and solutions for our struggles but I wanted to share another perspective of mom life. The view of someone who is childless not by choice. When I connected with Carrie, I knew that her perspective would be helpful to so many whether you are someone who was just scrolling by and found this episode and it made you feel seen and heard as someone who is yourself childless not by choice or if you are like me and care about people in your life that are childless not by choice and want to understand what they feel a little better or maybe even how to be more understanding and supportive. Either way, I am so excited to share Carrie with you all on this episode and know you will love her too!

Carrie is a therapist and transition life coach that helps women who are childless not by choice build a life that is meaningful, purposeful, and fun. She shares from a personal space of giving voice to this situation and from the space of working to support those who are experiencing childlessness.  Carrie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that has worked in mental health for 20 years. She has a Master of Social Work and is also childless not by choice.

Find out more and connect with Carrie -
Sonder Sisterhood @ https://www.sondersisterhood.com/
The Other Path Coaching @ https://theotherpathcoaching.com/
Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/theotherpathcoaching/

I'm Sarah -  a neuro-spicy warrior, homeschooling boy mom, devoted wife, and passionate business owner. My life's journey through doctors' offices, hospitals, and self-advocacy led me to empower other moms. Through a podcast and a special needs moms' membership, I amplify voices and create a haven of support, sharing knowledge and strength. I help special needs moms conquer challenges, one heartbeat at a time.

Get my free Parent Advocacy Toolkit!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/parentadvocacytoolkit

I support moms of medically complex and neurodiverse kids. I have found that often special needs moms feel isolated and overwhelmed so I created the Calming the Chaos of Special Needs Motherhood Membership where you can feel validated, supported, and confident. You will get trainings from experts, support and connection in this amazing community. They say it takes a village and we would love for you to be a part of ours! Ready to check it out?!
https://www.sarahyoungllc.com/calmingthechaos